


The Girl In the Corner

by ButMakeItGay



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Clextober, Clextober 2019, F/F, Mention of Death, Mentions of Violence, Some Fluff, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-29 14:24:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21142193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButMakeItGay/pseuds/ButMakeItGay
Summary: “Well, yeah,” Clarke smiled brightly, hoping to infuse some of her tipsy chipperness into the seemingly melancholy woman. “‘Hot Sorority Girl’ costume, but with the ‘wacketty murder’ twist. I love it, very Bundy-esque. A little on the nose, but definitely on brand,” she said pointing to the greek lettering printed across the woman’s brilliantly pink shirt, marred by dark sticky looking fake blood and dirt surrounding decent sized gashes and rips scattered across the material. “I’m surprised more people here didn’t go with it to be honest.”/////////////////////////Clarke meets someone special at a sorority party.





	The Girl In the Corner

**Author's Note:**

> READ! THE! TAGS!!!
> 
> Ok, I'm gonna be real with you, if you're used to my fluff pieces, you very well might not like this piece. If you think it's not for you, please don't read it. I have no interest in tricking anyone into reading something they won't like and I don't want anyone getting upset over a small fic, it's just not worth it. I have another prompt for Trick or Treat day that is set in the CoA universe so just wait for that one, it's pure fluff and gay love.
> 
> That being said, if you're a fan of angst, you might like this? I have no idea, I have no idea what I'm doing lol. If you're familiar with my CoA au fic and were wondering about angst level for the possible alternate ending, consider this as reference: I would rate the angst level of this story at about a low 4. The intended angst for the alternate ending would be like a strong 8-9 in comparison.

“I love your outfit,” Clarke said loudly, just enough to be heard over the music that blared throughout the large sorority house. 

She’d spent the last ten minutes trying to build up the courage to speak to the incredibly attractive brunette standing by herself in the corner. The woman looked almost mournful as she watched her fellow party goers dance and talk and laugh, her small frown leaving Clarke with an unexplainable urge to make her smile instead.

When soulful green eyes met her own, Clarke felt a wave of sadness wash over her, the sorrow within their depths palpable despite the beer and the beats. 

The woman stared at her for a moment, expression almost calculating as she looked around the room and then back at Clarke. “Are you… speaking to me?” she asked quietly, so low Clarke could barely hear her.

“Well, yeah,” Clarke smiled brightly, hoping to infuse some of her tipsy chipperness into the seemingly melancholy woman. “‘Hot Sorority Girl’ costume, but with the ‘wacketty murder’ twist. I love it, very Bundy-esque. A little on the nose, but definitely on brand,” she said pointing to the greek lettering printed across the woman’s brilliantly pink shirt, marred by dark sticky looking fake blood and dirt surrounding decent sized gashes and rips scattered across the material, the gaps showing delicious hints of porcelain skin. “I’m surprised more people here didn’t go with it to be honest.”

The woman was quiet for a moment as her eyes trailed over Clarke’s face, taking her in with a silent intensity that had Clarke shifting on the spot. She took a sip from her third round of the toxic concoction in the cup her new friend Raven had shoved at her when she had first walked in, her brain working overtime trying to think of something witty to say.

“Not much of a talker, huh?” she chuckled nervously.

The woman seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts that had been occupying her, blinking a few times as she came back to herself. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to be rude. I’m just… not used to people talking to me,” said softly, forcing Clarke to take a step closer to hear her clearly.

“What? That’s crazy! You’re like- you’re the hottest person here, how is that even possible?” she asked before blushing, realizing the liquid courage might be turning into liquid stupidity as her own words registered in her ears. 

But then she noticed the corner of the striking woman’s mouth lift lightly, the ghost of a smile gracing her full pink lips. “Not many people notice me, but I’ll take that as a compliment, coming from someone who looks like you. The um, the fuzzy handcuffs were a nice touch,” she said, nodding at the leather and lace outfit complete with cat ears and painted whiskers.

Raven had been delighted when she’d explained her Halloween ‘sex kitten’ costume idea.

Clarke flushed brighter as she bit her lip, her stomach swooping slightly at the seemingly returned flirtation. “I’m Clarke, by the way,” she introduced herself, pulling her free hand out of her back pocket and offering it to the other woman.

She seemed to think a moment, eyes darting between Clarke’s face and hand before hesitantly raising her own, wrapping long graceful fingers around shorter ones. “Lexa.”

Clarke ignored the lingering tingles that raced up her arm at the contact, not wanting to seem like a complete mess in front the beautiful woman. “So um, can I get you a drink or something, Lexa?”

“Oh I, I don’t drink actually.”

“Okay, that’s cool,” Clarke nodded with a smile, “I can get you a soda or something at least?”

“You really don’t have to trouble yourself,” she said with a soft smile.

“It wouldn’t be a hassle, but okay,” she relented, not wanting to force the woman to accept. “I uh, I think I want to get some air. It’s so damn loud and smokey in here, I can barely hear myself.”

“Oh, alright,” Lexa said faintly, the smile sliding from her lips as her eyes dimmed at her words.

“No, I mean, would you like to go get some fresh air with me? If you want some company, or… whatever.” 

She watched the woman chew her lip for a moment as she glanced around the room before nodding softly, muttering a quiet, “Yes, I think I’d like that,” as she moved to follow her. Clarke beamed and led the way through the crowded rooms towards the back door. 

The cool evening air hit her face as soon as she stepped outside, the volume dropping dramatically as she shut the door behind them, seeing only a few other students scattered in small groups around the expansive back lawn. It was late, well past midnight, so the rowdiest of the holiday revelers had long since passed out or moved on to other pursuits of all-hallowed debauchery.

Surprisingly, Lexa reached out, taking Clarke’s hand in her own as she led them down the steps, directing them to a small wooden bench swing that sat tucked beneath a few sprawling branches. They settled on the seat, swaying gently as Clarke made sure to sit as close to the incredibly attractive enigma beside her as possible without feeling like she was crowding the girl, the proximity earning her small smirk as Lexa peeked over from the corner of her eyes.

“It’s beautiful out tonight,” Clarke deflected immediately.

“It is,” Lexa hummed in agreement, pressing the soles of her scuffed up chucks into a few leaves, the satisfying crunch of their destruction crackly into the evening air. “I always loved autumn. The colors, everything looking like it’s on fire, but in a peacefully enchanting way… I’m not sure if that even makes sense outside of my head,” she chuckled lightly.

“No, it does,” Clarke assured her quickly, resting her hand on the woman’s arm for a moment before drawing back. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back slightly as she breathed deeply through her nose before continuing. “My favorite part is always the smell. So fresh and crisp. Which is kinda weird because technically everything is dying,” she shrugged gently, eyes opening to find twinkling green staring back at her.

“There can be beauty in death, I suppose,” Lexa said quietly. “I guess that’s why everyone seems to love Halloween so much... I never really understood the draw myself, though.”

“What?” Clarke gasped, clutching a hand to her chest in faux scandalization. “Sacrilege!” Lexa only laughed, gently shaking her head at Clarke’s antics. “How can you not love Halloween?”

“I don’t know, I just never saw the appeal. Scary movies are scary, why do you want to feel terrified when you don’t have to?”

“Uh, the thrill, girl.” Clarke stated as though it should have been obvious.

“I guess I always got my thrills in other ways.”

“Is that so?” Clarke smirked devilishly before laughing as the girl quietly scoffed at her. Reaching over to pat Lexa’s hand condescendingly, she tacked on an arbitrary, “You walked right into that, sweetie," for good measure. 

Lexa was quiet for another moment, her eyes having slid to where Clarke’s hand gently rested on her own, slowly flipping it over to lace their fingers together. Clarke felt her heart thump loudly in her ears as Lexa looked up beneath long lashes, the brilliant moon above reflecting back from green depths. “Is this alright?”

“Y-yeah,” she said with a nervous but genuine smile. “Of course it is.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“The sun will be up soon,” Lexa said softly a few hours later, the time having flown by as they sat talking about anything big and small that happened to come to mind, one subject flowing seamlessly into the next. 

Clarke found the woman fascinating, her ideas about life and the world around them a refreshing deviation from the Psych 101 babble she normally had to endure when trying to flirt with her fellow collegiates. She was interesting and smart and so achingly beautiful Clarke had a hard time not just staring dopily at the woman for long stretches of time. 

So hearing what sounded like the beginning of the end of their evening had Clarke feeling decidedly put out.

“Yeah but I mean, I’m having a great time,” she argued, squeezing the fingers still laced with her own. “Maybe we can go grab breakfast or something?”

Lexa smiled softly at her again, a tinge of regret adorning her sculpted features before she even uttered the words that Clarke knew were coming. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“Oh, come on,” she tried again, bumping her shoulder against the woman next to her. “Who can say no to pancakes? My treat? … My trick or treat. Get it? Get it? Ba dum cha.”

“That was so bad,” Lexa giggled quietly, her eyes looking fondly at Clarke.

"It was, right?"

"Hopelessly."

“That’s me, a hopeless dork, willing to say or do anything to make pretty girls laugh.”

“Mission accomplished.”

“I am a professional at my craft,” Clarke grinned, hoping it achieved the level of ‘charming’ she was going for.

“... But I still can’t, I’m sorry,” Lexa repeated sadly, her lips quirking to the side in a rueful manner. “Actually… I should get going very soon.”

“Well, that sucks,” Clarke pouted slightly, deflating back into the bench beneath them.

“I had a lovely evening though, thank you for keeping me company... I thought tonight was going to be incredibly difficult, but… but you made it rather wonderful.”

“I had a really great time, I’m glad you enjoyed it too,” Clarke smiled softly. 

She watched as the woman swallowed lightly, her eyes flicking down to look at her lips. Taking a leap of faith, Clarke leaned forward, moving slowly to allow the woman plenty of time to move away. When she watched glossy green disappear behind fluttering lids, Clarke eliminated the space between them, gently pressing forward onto plump pillowy lips. She felt Lexa respond immediately, soft lips slanting together, slow caresses and pulls mixed with gentle sucks and nips. Clarke felt her heart tremble as the very air around them seemed to cease to exist, the taste and small sounds of their kiss the only thing registering to her senses.

Lexa pulled away gently after several long moments, reaching a hand up to gently cup Clarke’s jaw as she rested their heads together. “Why couldn’t I have found you sooner?” she breathed into the small space between them.

“Hey, I like the way we met,” Clarke smiled as she pulled back to smile at her as she tried to lighten the mood. “Think about it, if things work out? We fall in love and you get to tell our grandkids that you met grandma while she was dressed up like a slutty cat,” she laughed lightly at the mental image of that scenario. 

However, her chuckles subsided almost instantly as she noticed the other woman wasn’t laughing at all.

Instead, Lexa looked rather unsettled, chest heaving slightly as she worried her trembling lower lip. “Hey, hey, I’m sorry,” she rushed out, completely thrown as to what had caused the abrupt change in mood. “It was a dumb joke, I’m not- I don’t know what I said-”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Lexa strained out, shaking her head as she averted her eyes.

“But you’re upset now.”

“It’s fine, I’m just being stupid… I should go. I really should go,” she nodded to herself, pulling her hand free from Clarke’s as she rose to her feet.

“Well, well hang on a second,” Clarke called out as she watched her moving away. 

“No, I-I need to go,” Lexa said over her shoulder as she walked quickly towards the door to the house. “It was lovely meeting you, Clarke. Please, please be safe getting home.”

“Can I at least get your number?” she shouted as she watched the woman all but yank the door open and disappear inside. Clarke sat there stunned, staring slack jawed at the space the woman had been just a moment before, wondering what the hell about that joke had been bad enough to drive her off. Sure it had been little forward and borderline creepy if taken seriously, but it was just a joke. And anyway, the woman hadn’t even looked offended, just sad.

It made zero sense in her mind.

Shaking her head at herself for apparently managing to ruin her chances with the realest, most beautiful woman she had ever met in her nineteen years of life, Clarke picked up the ears and cuffs she had set aside during their conversation and slowly trudged her way back up to the house.

Walking in, she noticed the place was much quieter than before, a few people sprinkled here and there either dancing or drinking or sleeping off bad decisions, but the music that played was thankfully down to a reasonable level as she made her way through the various rooms. Unsurprisingly, she finally found Raven in the kitchen, sitting on the countertop as she nursed what looked to be a room temperature can of beer and a half eaten monstrosity of a sandwich sat on a plate next to her.

“Griffin! Where the fuck you been all night?” she asked, obnoxiously loud, as soon as her eyes landed on Clarke’s morose face. “Uh oh, that’s a sad kitty.”

“Yeah, to say the least,” she grumped coming over to lean on the counter beside her.

“What’s got you so sour, puss?” she asked, smirking at her own shitty pun.

“I met this girl,” she started off before being interrupted.

“Ooo, bueno.”

“No. No bueno. I fucked it up.”

“How’d you manage that?” Raven asked as she stuffed another large bite of sandwich into her mouth.

“I made a dumb joke I guess.”

“Was it offensive or somethin’?”

“I… I don’t think so. It was mostly about my own costume, but she just got up and left.”

“Eh, sorority girls can be snooty bitches.”

“You’re a sorority girl,” Clarke laughed with a snort.

“Yeah that’s how I know, Freshman. If you do end up pledging, be careful which one you choose. Some of these hoes are a handful.”

“Jesus, Raven,” Clarke chuckled, slapping the woman’s leg in reprimand.

“What?”

“You’re an asshole,” she smiled sweetly up at her. “But anyway, for the record she was actually really nice. Super sweet and just really cool to talk to. And fucking amazing looking, oh my god.”

“Damn, dude. And you fucked it up?”

“Yep,” she said matter of factly, popping the ‘p’ for emphasis.

“What sorority is she in?”

“This one.”

“Oh well shit, maybe I can put in a good word for you. Let her know you’re not as dumb as your joke made you seem.”

“Thanks,” Clarke laughed softly.

“‘S what friends are for, young padawan. So what’s this chick’s name?”

“Lexa,” she sighed dreamily, thinking about those green, deeply penetrating eyes that had felt like they were looking straight through her soul. Maybe a little dramatic, possibly a byproduct of the alcohol still winding through her system, but god, her eyes were just… and that face. And the way her slim fingers, cool from the night air, felt perfectly grounding slotted between her own as a gentle thumb ran over the back of her ha-

“That’s not fucking funny, dude.”

The harsh tone from her friend startled Clarke out of her thoughts. She twisted slightly to look up, turning fully as she saw the thunderous look being aimed at her. “What are you talking about?”

“Listen. I get that you’re new here, but don’t joke about that, even for Halloween.”

“I-I’m not joking, the girl I talked to tonight said her name was Lexa,” she said confusedly, frowning as the other woman hopped down and whipped her head around the corner to see if anyone was there.

“Stop saying that shit so loud, people are gonna get pissed. If Anya hears you making jokes about that she’s gonna beat your ass and, honestly, I won’t stop her.”

“Why would your girlfriend beat my ass over talking to someone?”

“Stop playing stupid,” Raven spat, looking disgusted with her.

“Well maybe I am stupid because I have no idea what’s going on,” she said loudly, tossing her hands up in the air helplessly.

“Making jokes or setting up pranks that involve Lexa isn’t funny. At all. I don’t exactly know what you thought the punchline of this would be, but drop it.”

“I’m not making a goddamn joke, Raven,” she repeatedly slowly. “I spent all night sitting my ass on a cold ass bench swing out back with a girl who said her name was Lexa.”

“Bullshit, no one would tell you that.”

“Well she did,” Clarke insisted.

“What did she look like?” Raven demanded, resting her hands on her hips as anger seemed to radiate from her core.

“I don’t know, she was just gorgeous. She was white, kinda pale. Pretty skinny. Long brown curly hair. Really sharp greenish eyes. The hottest set of lips I have ever seen in my life and a jawline that could cut metal, like seriously... She had on one of your guys’ old house shirts, but she had it all torn up with fake blood and… stuff,” she trailed off as she watched the color visibly drain from Raven’s face as the woman stumbled back a step. 

Shaking her head rapidly, Raven reached forward, snatching Clarke’s hand in a vice-like grip as she dragged her out of the room and quickly up the large staircase that lead to the sorority’s bedrooms.

“Ow, that fucking hurts.”

“Just shut up for a minute,” she heard over Raven’s shoulder as they darted down the hallway lined with doors. She halted in front of a door bearing a small plaque that read ‘Head Bitch In Charge’, releasing Clarke’s wrist as she dug a set of keys out of her pocket. Before moving to open it, she turned and looked at Clarke again. “Is, is there anything else you remember about her? Anything specific?”

Clarke thought for a long moment, trying to come up with anything. “I don’t know, dude. She just seemed really cool. I mean, well, she talked kind of funny. Not bad just… like kind of formally. Like you’d think she was stuck up, but she wasn’t.”

“Anything else?”

“... Her fingers where crazy long?”

“Ew.”

“Well I don’t know what the fuck you’re looking for here, Raven,” she hotly defended.

“Physical features, things that stood out.”

“I already told you everything. Green eyes, sharp jaw, brown curly hair… I said the big lips, right?... Oh! Oh, there was this tiny freckle on the top one. That’s kinda weird, right? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a freckle on a lip before.”

“Oh my god,” Raven exhaled as she turned and unlocked the door, quickly moving inside and over to a large array of pictures pinned to the wall. Motioning Clarke to come stand next to her, she continued shakily. “Can you- do you see her in any of these?”

“Why are you acting so weird? And who’s room is this?”

“It’s Anya’s, she drank herself stupid and fell out on the cou- can you just focus? Do you see the girl you talked to in any of these?” she asked again, directing Clarke to look back at the wall of photographs.

Clarke’s eyes slid slowly over the various images, not needing more than a few seconds to land on the face she recognized immediately. “Her,” she said definitively, tapping her finger on the mini smiling version of her evening companion looking back at them.

“Clarke, please tell me you are fucking with me,” Raven demanded, her voice bordering on hysterical as she backed away from the wall in front of them.

“No, jesus, what is happening?”

“Please tell me this is a really messed up joke. Please, I’m going to lose my mind right now.”

“Oh my god, Raven,” Clarke startled, her eyes widening as she took in the trembling form of her friend as she continued to back away from her. “You’re scaring the shit out of me, what is going on? What is wrong with that girl?”

“Well, for starters, she’s fucking dead, Clarke,” Raven practically shouted. 

A moment of eerie silence passed before Clarke scoffed loudly, “You’re so full of shit.”

“You think I’m kidding?” Raven said angrily as she stormed over to the small bedside table and wrenched the drawer open.

“I can not believe you thought I’d fall for some dumbass Halloween pra-”

Her words cut off as Raven shoved a few pieces of paper in her hand before walking back over to the bed, collapsing heavily on the edge as she buried her head in her hands. It took Clarke a moment to realize what she was looking at, the small strip of paper on top bearing the name ‘Alexandria Woods’ above a grainy black and white photo of the woman’s face. Clarke skimmed the small obituary, seeing it dated a little less than a year ago.

“This is the shittiest prank ever, you fully realize that, right? Anyone can make a fake obit,” Clarke rolled her eyes at the woman sitting on the bed. She stopped short as Raven lifted her head, thin tear tracks lining her cheeks as she pointed at the papers in Clarke’s hands.

“Keep reading.”

Looking back down, Clarke shuffled the obituary to the back, seeing a brightly decorated funeral card next. A small picture of an angel carrying a lamb adorned the front, the back inscribed with a short poem about peace beneath the woman’s name, a date of birth, and a date of death. Hands starting to shake slightly but mind still thoroughly convinced this had to be a joke being played on her, she moved the card to the back as another piece of news paper was revealed. It was from their university’s own publication, dated November 2nd. She unfolded the article that had been cut out, reading it silently to herself.

“It happened a year ago,” Raven said quietly, sniffling gently as she worked to get the words out. “Tonight, a year ago tonight… We threw a party, but Lexa hated Halloween. She told everyone she thought it was dumb and boring but, but she told me and Anya once that it actually scared her.”

Clarke heard Raven’s words as though they were coming through a dense fog as her eyes trailed over the article in her hands. Random words jumped out at her, searing into her brain as she took them in. 

Bits of phrases such as ‘the victim, Alexandria Woods, 21’, and ‘the promising English major graduated top of her high school class’, and ‘multiple wounds to the chest and abdomen’ had her legs feeling like they would give out at any moment.

“She decided to go to the library for the evening, she had a Lit test later that week that she was worried about… I told her she was lame, and she just told me she loved me… We got the call the next morning. Someone had... they found her in some bushes, evil fucking bastard just left her there.”

“Raven, stop it. This isn’t funny,” Clarke pleaded quietly, feeling her entire body shaking as she stared at the words ‘no known suspects at this time’.

“Do I look like I’m laughing?” she replied solemnly, shaking her head as she stared at Clarke. “She was Anya’s best friend... She lost it at the funer-... I could barely get her to breathe...she didn't even want the house to throw a party this year but, the girls said it would help them feel normal.”

“This can not be real,” Clarke said, slowly sliding to the floor as she felt the bile rise in her throat.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Raven huffed lightly. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on or what happened tonight but I… I don’t even know. I mean, even if you looked it up, all the articles say her real name. Only her close friends ever called her Lexa... I don’t know how you could be making this up. Or why.”

“I’m not, this is Lexa,” she said holding the small obituary up for a moment. “She was standing in the corner by herself, and she looked so… fuck,” she exhaled as she felt another wave of nausea roll through her remembering the site of her, “She looked sad. She was just standing there, watching everyone. So I went and said hi and that I, I thought her costume looked cool,” she said with a grimace. “… She seemed kind of surprised I was talking to her but, I mean she just seemed shy… I asked her to go outside and get some air with me and she agreed… she actually was the one who had us sit on that swinging bench thing. I hadn’t even noticed it, it was so far off to the side.”

“That, yeah, that’s where she always sat when she went outside. She’d go out there to read and stuff... get away from everyone for awhile. She kept to herself a lot of the time,” Raven said quietly as she stared at her hands. 

“Seriously, Raven, if this is a joke and Lexa pops up out of a closet or something I’m gonna scream.”

“Yeah I would too.”

“... How have I never heard about this?” she 

“It’s college, Clarke. The university only gives a fuck about whether people pay their tuition. And you really think these idiots that go here want to talk about some poor girl who got murdered last year? It never happened again, so everybody just started pretending like it never fucking happened at all... Anya can barely talk about her without breaking down. If I accidentally bring her up she freezes me out for days,” Raven said helplessly.

“... You’re really not joking? This really isn’t a prank?” she asked desperately, her heart hammering wildly in her chest as every hair on her body stood on end.

“Clarke, look at Anya’s wall,” she said as she walked over, pointing at a specific row of pictures. “Here is the two of them together their freshman year with their Bigs. Then sophomore year with their Littles, junior year, and then nothing. Just Anya and her two past Littles and their own newbies. She didn’t even want to take the damn picture, but she didn’t want to ruin it for the girls. She couldn’t even handle taking one with Lexa’s,” Raven finished sadly, looking at Clarke with soft dejected eyes.

Feeling like she might pass out at any moment, Clarke swallowed back the sick she felt pushing at her windpipe. “You’re really not kidding?” she asked, her voice shaking slightly as the reality of the situation sank into her stomach. “This girl is really… ?”

“Yes, Clarke,” she nodded softly.

Drawing in a trembling breath, Clarke set the small stack of papers to the side before looking back up into sad, brown eyes.

“Well... then I apparently have a pretty serious crush on a ghost... Perfect.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

~*~*~*~ One Year Later ~*~*~*~

Clarke laughed happily as she walked down the long staircase, hearing the chorus of groans from the main sitting room they had transformed into a makeshift dance club as the sounds of ‘The Monster Mash’ started blaring over the hastily acquired speaker system.

“That was your doing, wasn’t it?” her Big ‘sister’ Luna laughed from behind her as they reached the bottom step.

“Oh yeah, I put a bunch of shitty Halloween music on the playlist just to annoy everyone,” she half shouted as they moved through the throng of people congesting the hallways of the house.

“Raven would be proud.”

“I figured we should honor her legacy of assholery now that she graduated. It’s the least I could do.”

“I’m gonna grab a drink, you want anything?” Luna called over the music as they got to the fork between dance hall and kitchen.

“Nah, I’m good, thanks though.”

“Anytime, babe. If you need me, I’m gonna be shoving my tongue down Ryder’s throat so like, make sure it’s an emergency before interrupting.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Love you too!” she called brightly, twirling her fingers in the air as she walked away. 

Clarke laughed at the woman as she disappeared into the crowd before turning to head into the densely populated dance area. Her eyes automatically swept the room, landing on a particular empty corner before darting away. Her heart dropped just a bit, just for a moment, before she shook it off resolutely. She was determined to enjoy her evening, no matter what did or didn’t happen.

Finding a few of her new sisters dancing in a close cluster, Clarke swayed her hips as they set off a round of howls and wolf whistles, arms going up in the air as they welcomed her into their five-person-deep line of dancing bodies.

The evening passed quickly, the hours melting by as she danced and laughed with her friends and sisters and random people she would never remember the names of, sipping soda and water and eating the little finger foods the house had made as a team the day prior. It was a good night, a great night even… but it never stopped her constant glances to the corner across the way.

She had all but given up hope, almost deciding to call it a night and head up stairs when a flash of bright pink caught her attention. Whipping around, her eyes connected with the only shade of green to ever rattle her to her core. Putting the cup in her hand down on the table beside her, she slowly moved through the multitude of dancers that separated them, never breaking eye contact for more than a second, terrified if she looked away the vision would be gone. 

Coming to stand only a few inches away from the woman, Clarke smirked softly at Lexa as nervous eyes searched her own. “I changed my mind, I decided I hate your outfit,” she said quietly, smiling as Lexa rolled her eyes and worried the hem of her shirt.

“I still like yours… it doesn’t pack quite the same punch as ‘sex kitten’, but 'angel' does seem to suit you nicely.”

“Hey, it’s ‘sexy angel’, I’ll have you know. See the cleavage?”

“Exceedingly so,” Lexa chuckled embarrassedly, reaching up to tug on the lobe of her ear. “I… I’m glad I got to see you again. I wanted to apologize. For frightening you last year. And also, just running off like I did. That was terribly rude of me and I regre-”

“You wanna go get some fresh air with me?” Clarke interrupted, grinning as she held a hand out for the woman. “If you want some company, or whatever?” 

Clarke watched as a small smile slowly stretched across full lips, green eyes turning grateful and adoring as she took the hand being offered, lacing their fingers together as she nodded lightly. 

“Yes, I think I’d like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Before ya'll kick my ass out of the fandom here's a quick epilogue:
> 
> Lexa visits every single year, without fail. Even after Clarke graduates and moves, she reserves her Halloween evenings for the beautiful, tragic girl, much to the annoyance of her significant others (if she happens to be dating someone at the time). Clarke does date people here and there, on and off throughout her life, but it never seems to work out.
> 
> When Clarke is single though, all bets are off, the two admitting to each other and themselves pretty early on the strength of their attraction despite... well, everything. In the early years they stick to cuddling and kissing, talking about life and so on. But by the third year after Clarke graduates college, Lexa was rattling a lot more than old chains in the attic (yay, kinky ghost sex).
> 
> Clarke can solemnly testify that ghosts definitely moan louder than live humans.
> 
> They keep their arrangement going for years, each expressing happiness and sadness at the constraints of their situation but accepting it for what it is. When Clarke is in a relationship, they keep it together (and in their pants), though the longing looks they give each other still leave both women feeling like they're betraying the other unsuspecting someone.
> 
> Things come to a head one Halloween shortly after Clarke's 50th birthday, Lexa learning that Clarke had dumped her boyfriend of almost 3 years because he asked her to marry him. Clarke tried to explain that the thought of never getting to be close to Lexa again made her feel sick, describing the dread and panic that rose when she considered the prospect of never kissing or holding her again. She reasoned that that was more than enough of a sign that she wasn't meant to be with him, that she had given her heart away years ago, and that she was done trying to make it work with people knowing she could never be truly invested in a relationship with someone else.
> 
> Lexa threw a fit, telling Clarke she couldn't keep throwing her life away for someone she saw once a year and that her happiness was the most important thing.
> 
> Clarke told her to shut up and deal with it, cutting through Lexa's tirade when she suggested the only other option was for them to never see each other again.
> 
> Lexa did indeed shut up, albeit begrudgingly.
> 
> Clarke lived happily, surrounded by friends and their families, assuring everyone she genuinely felt more than fulfilled with her life exactly as it was.
> 
> One night, very late into her 80's, Clarke closed her eyes to dream, envisioning the previous Halloween, a soft adoring look shining down on her as delicate fingers traced the prolific laugh lines and wrinkles that had grown across her face. Slowly her vision began to change, the memory fading into something new as their surroundings melted away, leaving just the two of them together. The longer she looked, the clearer brilliant green became. Closing her eyes to slowly blink, when she opened them the entire world had changed, Lexa looking as youthful as ever, but different. Brighter and freer, all traces of violence wiped clean from her body as though they never existed. Reaching up to cover the hand reverently cupping her face, Clarke sat up easily, her body and skin feeling as new and as vibrant as decades past.
> 
> Leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to sleek pink lips, Lexa smiled sweetly as she gazed into pools of blue, her voice no louder than a breath of air. 
> 
> "... Hi..."


End file.
